Epilogue
A/N: A continuation was requested, so here we are! Though I believe this will be the final installment. I had some racy ideas I thought about putting into another fic but they fit pretty well here. (Sure, it may be smut for the sake of smut, but it actually works with the story which is nice!). I find this way too much fun, y'all. But I hope you enjoy!
—-
A week later, Juliet was having dinner at James, Miles, and Jin's house. This was the first night in a while that none of them worked the evening shift, and they all looked forward to being able to hang out. Jin cooked, because Miles could barely even boil noodles. Everyone was delighted to chow down on the best Korean food he could conjure, despite the fact that they had limited authentic ingredients in Dharmaville.
Juliet had just taken a huge bite when Miles unceremoniously dropped his fork and pointed an accusing finger at James. "You're not losing any weight, you know." She choked, completely caught off guard by Miles' obtrusive comment. James had just brought the food up to his lips when Miles blurted this, and he held it aloft as he sneered in Miles' direction.
"Excuse me?" he hissed. Jin thumped Juliet on the back, who waved him off and drank a sip of her water, eyes watering.
"You. I don't think you're getting any fatter but you're definitely not looking any different. You've been going out for runs like, everyday, man."
"I ain't tryin' to lose weight, Sherlock. Just tryin' to stay fit since this island always seems to make somethin' chase after us."
Miles shook his head, grinning wildly. "Nah, man. I don't buy it. See, I thought if I stole your sneakers you'd just come tell me on your own. But clearly that's not the case, seeing as though you didn't even notice I took them. I gave you the whole night to say something. But nope. So out with it. What are you really doing?" Juliet's jaw dropped and Jin burst out laughing.
"You stole his shoes?!" Jin cried.
"Yeah! I had to figure out where he was sneaking off to!" Miles exclaimed, defending his decision. James was livid. Juliet could see the rage come over him and worried that the jig would finally be up and it would all come tumbling out of him, right here, right now.
But just as quickly as the temper flared, she saw him relax. "Fine," he spat venomously. "Ya caught me."
"I knew it! Okay spill. Tell the class what you've been up to, acting so secretive around here."
James grit his teeth. "How 'bout you guess and I tell ya if you're hot or cold?"
Juliet and Jin watched the exchange in amazement, though for very different reasons. Jin eyed her, curious if she knew what was going on, but she merely shrugged and went back to watching Miles and James.
She saw the realization dawn on Miles' face. "Oh shit. You're getting laid, aren't you?" Miles crowed. James said nothing. "Oh come on now, Jim. Who's the lucky lady?" Miles wagged his eyebrows and James had to clench his fists under the table and narrow his eyes to keep them from wandering over to look at Juliet.
"None a' your damn business, that's who," he growled.
"I fucking knew it. You're having sex." Miles shook his head in annoyance. "I thought I was the only one having sex."
"I thought she leave you?" Jin piped up.
"Hey! Whose side are you on, anyway?" Miles snapped at him before turning his attention back to James. "Why won't you tell us who it is?"
James felt his entire body tensing, desperately trying not to fuck this up. "Because she don't want anyone knowin' about us, so I'm keepin' her secret."
Miles blanched. "What? The whole commune wants to bone you, dude. I'd know because I always have to hear, 'Oooh, is Jim single?' every-fucking-where I go." He imitated a high-pitched feminine voice and Juliet's blood boiled at the thought. But she worked hard to keep her face neutral. "I mean shit, aren't you the love 'em and leave 'em type anyway? I'm so confused, man."
James sighed. "I was, numb-nuts. But I'm too old for that shit. Gotta find me an honest woman now." He tried smiling sweetly to Miles, but it only enraged him further.
"And you thought NOW was the time to do that? HERE of all places? Are you insane?"
James almost laughed out loud at the irony of the situation. "Hey, I'm surrounded by beautiful women, Miles. Free love and all that jazz. It was bound to happen eventually." Juliet swallowed down her protest at his comment. She knew he meant well, and he was a hell of an actor.
Miles shook his head. "I don't know whether I wanna tackle you for lying to us or high-five you for scoring when you're only like, seven out there somewhere and all these broads are in their twenties or something here. Hell, I did it!"
"That's gross," Juliet finally said, wrinkling her nose in distaste.
"Well, what else do you think about all this, Juliet? Aren't you a little pissed off he's been lying to us? We're supposed to be his friends." Ouch. Yeah, that one hurt.
"Of course I am," she stated plainly, avoiding James' gaze. "But it's James' decision to have sex with whoever he wants. If he doesn't want us to know about it, why should we pry?"
"Bullshit!" Miles called indignantly. "Friends don't keep secrets. We're all we have, here." Dammit, Miles - right in the gut.
"But Miles, people are entitled to their privacy, too. I'm sure James has his reasons," she said again more firmly. "As his friends, we should just trust that he's not screwing things up for us and blowing our cover here. You're not blowing our cover, are you, James?" She cast him a dirty look, playing the part.
"Course not. Wouldn't be much of a conman if I gave it up to some hippie that I'm a time traveler, for Christ's sake. Not like she'd believe me anyway, but that's besides the point. Now are y'all done grillin' me? Jesus." He shook his head, starting to get agitated. He didn't like being bombarded like this. It was getting harder and harder to keep his cool. Especially when Juliet was right there, looking fucking gorgeous and smiling a knowing smile at him.
Jin was quietly watching the exchange, Juliet refilled her wine, suddenly feeling the need to drink more of it. Miles, however, shook his head in disbelief. "Fine. We can drop it. But I have one last question." Juliet held her breath, preparing for the possibility that he could out her. She started to sweat. "She any good?" He waggled his eyebrows at James and laughed.
James grinned. "Actually…" he started, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table, pausing for dramatic effect. Juliet thought she might pass out. This was so fucking uncomfortable she wanted to go crawl in a hole and die. "I ain't told her this, mind you. Don't want her gettin' a big head or nothin', but… probably the best I ever had, man."
Juliet could feel her heart pounding in her ears, only slightly drawn out over the whoops and hollers of the boys as they congratulated James. He just had to say that. Jesus, Juliet, keep your face neutral. Neutral. Unaffected. The concentration and effort it took to keep from looking at him made her feel like she was going to have a stroke. She didn't trust herself to look at him and see the heat in his eyes as he met her gaze. She assumed he would be mentally undressing her, if he hadn't already done so, and she didn't think she could handle seeing those dimples when all she wanted to do was fuck him right here on the table after observing this whole exchange - how he never gave anything away, all because she asked him to. The best he ever had? She wanted to call bullshit; after all, he'd probably been with hundreds of women, but for some reason she actually believed he really thought that about her. And it was… flattering, to say the least. He was certainly the best she'd ever had, by a mile. Finally, when an appropriate amount of time had passed and she'd collected herself, she smiled sweetly at him. "Congratulations, James. You deserve to be happy," she stated, fully and convincingly neutral.
He smiled back, eyes alight, just as she'd expected. "Thanks," was all he said in return. He, too, didn't trust himself to say a word more.
"You know I'm gonna find out who it is, right?" Miles announced, breaking the silence.
"Don't you fucking dare. Leave it alone, Miles," James warned; going without a nickname was serious business.
"Oh come on! Lighten up. I won't stalk you but I'm gonna be paying attention now. I'm gonna ask every single woman in this compound and see if they lie to me," Miles teased and Juliet's stomach lurched. "Just you wait."
"Yeah, sure, whatever - Detective. In the meantime, I'm gonna suggest you shut your yap and lemme get back to my dinner." James rolled his eyes and took another bite, as if proving a point that the conversation was in fact very much over.
Juliet put her hands in her lap to hide their shaking. She didn't know why it mattered so much. Why not just tell them, right now, that she was the one he was seeing? She didn't have a rational answer. She just didn't want to. Miles would find a way to bring it up in every conversation, never letting them have a moment's peace. Jin would be supportive, but it would hurt him that they found each other when he no longer had Sun. So this was easier, she decided, and she took a deep, calming breath before resuming her dinner. It wasn't until moments later when the anxiety passed that she let the smug smile return to her face.
Best he ever had? Challenge accepted.
—-
A few days later, James could finally see why Juliet didn't want to say anything. Miles would not let up. He thought he was being sneaky, but he was really just being nosy, and James couldn't stand it. He dreaded his shift that afternoon, knowing full well Miles would be working too. But, he was pleasantly surprised when Miles finally stopped asking him questions. They were actually able to work in comfortable, companionable silence, though he could feel Miles' eyes every so often, as if the younger man were trying to conjure the woman's name, tattooed on James' forehead in some kind of grand reveal.
Just after seven, James was even more surprised when Juliet trotted down the steps into the security station. Instinctively, he smiled and held out a hand, but pulled back in a panic when he saw her eyes widen and flick to Miles.
"Hey, Miles. I didn't know you were working, too, or I would have brought you some dinner."
"But you brought him dinner?" Miles stuck his thumb out, gesturing to James in disgust.
"Yeah. He asked me to, earlier today. Said he wouldn't have time to go to the cafeteria." She shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant, but she was making all of this up on the spot. She truly hadn't known Miles would be here.
"What the fuck, man? You knew I was working with you today," Miles accused as he shot James a pissy glare.
"Sure did. And I know you tend to take extra time to go gallavantin' off to the cafeteria when you're on shift," James countered, also making it all up. He hadn't known she would come by.
"Whatever, man." Miles rolled his eyes. "What'd ya bring, Jules?" he asked her curiously, clearly not too phased any longer that she hadn't brought any for him.
"Hot dogs," Juliet replied weakly. It had meant to be a joke, for James, but Miles groaned.
"Aw man, that sounds good," he griped. James pressed his knuckles against his lips to keep from laughing. He got the joke.
"There's two. I also brought pickles." Juliet grinned, despite herself. Miles was clearly unphased by the phallic dinner she'd brought to make James laugh. "I'm sure James wouldn't mind sharing, would you James?" She raised her eyebrows, smiling at him, and he matched her expression, his smile steady and unwavering.
"Sure. Why the hell not. Didn't think he'd wanna miss out on his dinner break, but sure." He took the plate graciously from Juliet, careful not to touch her, and offered the plate to Miles who took a hot dog, licking his lips in anticipation.
"Damn this hits the spot," Miles moaned, mouth full. Juliet coughed, hiding her laughter and steadfastly avoiding eye contact with James.
"I'll bet it does," she agreed with a smile.
"Hot dogs are my favorite comfort food for some weird reason. They just make you feel good, you know?"
"Funny. I feel the same way," Juliet said with mock wonder.
"Haven't had one of these since fourth of July," he said in between bites. "They're gross in theory but so delicious."
She bit her lip, hard, and she felt her eye twitch, wanting but not daring to look James in the eye. "Couldn't agree more."
James coughed, bending over. He cleared his throat a few times, eyes watering. She wondered if he'd just taken a bite when Miles set her up for that joke.
"I just wish there was more of it. I'm hungry." Nevermind saying thank you, of course. Miles could be an ass sometimes.
"If you could stop shoving it in your face for longer than two seconds and say thank you, I might be inclined to go get you another one," Juliet chastised.
"Sorrrrry," Miles intoned with a roll of his eyes. "Can you go bring us back a couple more?"
Juliet eyed James. "You want more, too?"
James flashed his dimples. "I always want more." To say the very least.
She scoffed. "Fine, then. Because I am a good friend, I will go get you more. Try not to starve and die while I'm gone, will you Miles?" Juliet commented sarcastically. He nodded, finishing off the last bite of his hot dog and licking mustard off his finger.
Juliet turned and climbed up the stairs, but when she got to the doors that led outside, she noticed her shoe was untied. She leaned down to tie it when she heard Miles speak. "Alright, I agreed I wouldn't give you any more shit while we were working, but technically we're on our dinner break now. It's just us, man. I won't tell anyone, just tell me who it is!" Miles was insufferable.
"Miles, I don't know how many more times I gotta say this. Back the fuck off."
"It's just some random girl, LaFleur! Why are you being so protective of her?"
"Cuz she ain't some random girl!" James hissed, and Juliet froze, heart leaping into her throat. His voice echoed off the steel walls, and she wondered if her heartbeat could echo, too. Was he going to tell, now that he thought she wasn't around? "When ya love someone, ya do what she asks, okay?" His volume was rising. "You wouldn't understand. So just drop it."
Silence. Juliet held her breath as she waited for Miles to respond. He told Miles he loved her. It was one thing to say it after a passionate night together, but to admit it to someone else? To admit it to Miles? She couldn't see James' face but she thought she could hear the heavy breathing coming from him echoing down the hallway. He was angry.
"You love her? Are you out of your Goddamned mind, Jim?!"
"The hell's wrong with that?" James shouted defensively.
Miles' jaw dropped. "What's wrong with that? Are you serious right now? It's one thing to go fuck some woman and relieve some of the horniness that's always got you tied in a knot, but to go and fall in love with a stranger? What do you think you're trying to do to us, dude? It's nineteen fucking seventy four. It's about to be 1975. You're supposed to be a fucking kid out there. Hell, I'm not even born yet!"
"What's your point?" James growled, interrupting Miles' tirade.
"My POINT is that we're fucking time travelers and we don't belong here! How are we ever going to leave? You think you're just gonna convince this girl to jump forward in time with us if the opportunity ever arises? You think you're just gonna get married when you have no social security number here and just have a bunch of kids that are born the decade after you were?" Miles was pacing, she could hear his footfalls. She could also feel the anger coming off of James in waves, even from this distance. She didn't know if she should continue to eavesdrop, but she couldn't tear herself away either.
"I'm not marryin' nobody, asshole! I ain't poppin' out kids with anyone, either. But even if I did, you best believe it's none a' your damn business what me and my girl decide to do. I know what fucking year it is. You forget I'm the one who saved all our asses and got us permission to stay here in the first place! That was me! Now shut your mouth and get back to work before I kick your ass all the way back to 2004." James growled. Juliet heard silence, before James sighed. "I wanna tell you, man. But ya gotta respect this - it's her decision. Maybe she'll wanna leave with us, maybe she won't. I'll deal with that if the time ever comes. Maybe we'll just be fuckin' stuck here forever and never get back to the 2000s." Juliet flinched. "But either way, my girlfriend is stubborn and I've turned into a loyal fuckin' softie since I been here among these damn hippies. So quit tryin' to trip me up and get her mad at me, will ya?" His tone softened and Juliet felt burning guilt in her chest. If she just admitted it, they'd quit arguing. She was about to announce herself when she heard Miles sigh.
"Fiiiine. You're right. I'll leave it alone," he said begrudgingly. "But the moment the coast is clear, and she's fine with it, ya gotta tell me everything."
"Deal," James agreed, and she heard them slap hands.
"And you swear it's not my mom?"
James barked a laugh. "No, dumbass. It ain't your mama."
Glad the secret was still safe, she crept out of the office and went to fetch her boys more dinner, vowing to find a way to thank James later for his understanding.
—-
Now that Miles was onto James, it was getting harder and harder to sneak around. James purposely started signing up for the late shift so that Miles would be asleep by the time he got off. Miles liked a good challenge though and swore to find out one way or another who James had been seeing. He really didn't even care all that much, but it was the not-knowing that was annoying the shit out of him. Jin truly didn't care one bit, but he loved watching Miles and James interact, tiptoeing around the issue at hand. He found it amusing if not juvenile.
One night, James promised he would come by Juliet's house after his shift ended at 1 am. Juliet put on her skimpiest bra and underwear, as there was no lingerie on the island, and waited for him to arrive. She was dead tired from working out in the sweltering heat all day, but she wanted to see him. They hadn't been together in several days, except in a platonic way around other people, namely Jin and Miles. She waited as long as her heavy eyes could handle, and fell asleep wondering why in the hell they were even still doing this - sneaking around was fun and she knew her reasons, but in times like these when they couldn't even see each other, it hardly felt worth it anymore. She made a mental note to talk to James about it tomorrow.
James crept into Juliet's house shortly after 2 am. He'd had to wait for Jerry, who drew the short straw tonight and had to relieve James of his shift. Needless to say, James was furious when Jerry stumbled in, apologizing for sleeping through his alarm. James understood it happened often for this shift, but he really missed Juliet and wondered if she'd thought he'd forgotten about her. He didn't want her to get the wrong idea.
He found her lying on top of the blankets curled up in a ball, still in her bra and underwear. Her golden hair was splayed over the pillow and she looked like a fucking angel. He put his knuckles against his lips to keep from groaning out loud. She looked hot as hell, and James cursed inwardly, swearing to kill Jerry first thing in the morning for making him miss this.
He stripped off his clothes down to his boxers and slid under the blankets. He wiggled them down from beneath her so he could cover her as well, tugging the edges an inch or two at a time, trying not to wake her. She sighed in her sleep and readjusted, complying with his unspoken request to move. She reached out a hand, groping in the dark for him.
"James?" she breathed, eyes closed and mouth barely forming the words.
"It's me, baby. Go back to sleep," he muttered back softly, though it was the complete opposite of what he actually wanted.
"You sure? I got all dressed up…" she trailed off, mouth going slack. He didn't want to take advantage of her like this. She was clearly back asleep within seconds, and he didn't have the heart to wake her up again. So, begrudgingly, and horny as hell, he snuggled against her and was soon asleep himself, wondering if he should talk to her about their 'secret arrangement' tomorrow. He was getting real tired of it.
The next morning came quickly. One minute James was dreaming about him and Juliet ordering Chinese food to be airlifted to the island and the next he was staring into her beautiful face lying inches from his. It was moments like these that James considered himself the luckiest guy in the world, even despite their circumstances here on the island. She made it all worth it. He was still watching her when her brow furrowed and she licked her lips. Her eyes opened a crack, blearily looking up at him. She stretched and a small moan escaped her lips and James remembered what he'd almost come home to. Despite this place not quite being his home, it certainly felt like it more than their bachelor pad did.
He leaned in to kiss her and whispered, "I'm sorry I got here so late," against her lips. "Hope ya didn't wait up too long."
"I waited a while, but it's okay. Get stuck at work?" she mumbled, eyes closed again, still struggling to wake up. She was not a morning person.
James felt bad. "Kinda. Jerry was late. Came as fast as I could." He kissed her again, lingering longer than the last. A breathy sigh escaped her lips and he suddenly got an idea. He looked at the clock. They had ten minutes max before she needed to be up, twenty before she had to be at work. They didn't have enough time for sex the way he wanted it, but they did have enough time for something else. He had it down to a science at this point in their relationship (or whatever the hell this was between them).
He reached over and shut off her alarm before propping himself up on his forearm and leaning over top of her. He kissed her, gently at first, and then deeper, running his palm over the skin of her stomach.
"What're you doing?" she murmured in between kisses. "I have morning breath."
"I don't care. I'm makin' it up to ya for leavin' ya hangin' last night." He trailed kisses down her jaw to her neck.
"I don't think we have time for sex, James," she breathed, voice growing deep.
"We ain't havin' sex," he corrected her, before recapturing her lips with his. His tongue stroked hers, and she reached her arms up to loop around his neck. Slowly, tantalizing, James ghosted his fingertips over her warm skin, up and down her thigh to her hip and landing on the waistband of her underwear just below her bellybutton. She pulled back, eyeing him curiously. Keeping eye contact, he slipped his fingers into her and saw her eyes roll back before they closed. She bit her lip and James felt his heartbeat quicken. He'd never done this before - pleasured someone without expecting anything in return - and it felt damn good, better than he expected it to.
She was ready for him, and her warmth made him shiver. He stroked her, first in slow teasing circles, and then increased his pressure. After a few minutes she was panting and moving her hips against him. Her kisses grew more feverish, desperation to have him inside of her growing with every stroke. She was dizzy with instinctive, primal need as she climbed higher and higher. James felt ten feet tall with how easily he could make her come - how well he knew her body by now, how she moaned his name and begged. It sent fireworks through his veins hearing her cry out when she finally tumbled off the edge. Still he kept stroking until she was jerking and clenching her thighs together. He removed his hand and kissed her lips once more, followed by her cheeks, her forehead, and lastly the tip of her nose.
She was breathing fast and her eyes were unfocused as they looked up at him. He merely grinned down at her, happy to have started her day off this way. He couldn't help it, he felt smug.
"What was that for again?" she asked breathlessly.
"For leavin' ya hangin' last night," James repeated.
"Oh. But what about you?" she asked, feeling him hard against her thigh.
He chuckled and nuzzled her neck. "Ehh, I'll take care of it when ya leave for work."
She laughed, a breathy huff that made James' heart clench. God, he loved this woman so fucking much.
"Thanks," she blushed. "Hell of a thing to wake up to." She smiled at him demurely, feeling mildly embarrassed, before turning her head and eyeing the clock with a frown. She was going to be late if she didn't get moving.
"Don't mention it. And lemme guess, ya gotta go now?" He kissed her on the lips once more. She licked them in response.
"Yeah." He frowned at her and she rolled out from under him. Wordlessly, she put on her shorts, a t-shirt, and her blue jumpsuit before throwing her hair back into a high ponytail.
"Hey Jules?" he called out just before she left the room. She turned and faced him.
"Hmm?"
"I love you," he remarked. They were still getting used to saying those words aloud. He'd only said it once - the first night when she'd admitted her feelings for him after his bad dream.
She paused in the doorway, her signature smile growing on her lips. She gave him that look - the one he recognized from the dock all those months ago, when he'd asked her to stay two weeks. It was a look of surprise, wonder, and eventually acceptance, sprinkled with mild skepticism. "I love you too, James." And with that, she left him to go to the bathroom and brush her teeth. On the way out, she grabbed a banana and some iced coffee she'd made the night before and left for work. She felt incredibly joyful and giddy, despite the fact that she missed James already.
As she walked to work, she made a decision. If Miles didn't figure it out by Friday (today was Monday) she would tell him the truth herself. She was tired of all this, and if this morning was any indication, she was finally ready for James to officially move in with her. It scared her slightly, sure, but she couldn't stand being away from him. She wanted to wake up with him every morning, and if she had to deal with Miles' incessant teasing? So be it. It would be worth it.
—-
That night, as both Miles and Jin were working the evening shift, James joined Juliet for dinner at her place. She'd gotten off before him and had prepared lasagna, one of James' favorite meals. He could smell the rich tang of the dish as he approached her house, knocking lightly on the door in case anyone was watching. He didn't want to be caught strolling right in. He pretended to hear her call out, and he let himself inside. She was also wearing her low-cut navy blue blouse, one of his favorites. It brought out her eyes, making them bluer and brighter than he'd ever seen, and it dazzled him when she wore it. Plus, it accentuated her figure as an added bonus. In the background, she was playing a Beatles record, definitely another one of James' favorite things.
In fact, he was beginning to see a trend as he strolled into the kitchen. He watched her as she took out the lasagna from the oven and smiled at him over her shoulder.
"Hey there, stranger," she greeted warmly.
"Hey, yourself." He stood against the inside of the archway leading into the kitchen. She gave him a quick peck on the lips before returning back to her task of preparing the meal. "Smells amazin' in here."
"Thanks. I think it turned out alright," she shrugged half-heartedly.
"I'm sure it'll be great."
"I hope so. How was work?"
"Fine. Uneventful, which is good. Just another day, ya know?" He saw her struggling to open the bottle of wine and stepped in to help. "Yours?"
"Fine. Hot - but fine," she commented, reaching up to get two glasses from the top shelf. He saw her shirt ride up and grinned at the sight of her lower back. Even despite the brand, every inch of Juliet was gorgeous. And truly, James loved every moment of this mundane conversation. He loved it too much, in fact. It reminded him of everything he'd ever wanted out of life, which only further reminded him how fleeting this might all prove to be.
James hesitated briefly before inhaling through his nose. He didn't want to start a fight, but he needed to have this conversation. He pulled a dining room chair out from under the table and sat down, the back of the chair against his chest. He crossed his arms, leaning them on the top, and watched her as she prepared a salad. She smiled at him, eyebrows furrowing slightly as she observed his concerned expression.
"Everything okay, James?" she asked lightly.
He wasn't sure how to respond. "Yeah, I think so. It's too good, actually."
"What does that mean?"
"This." He waved a hand between the two of them. "I like this. A lot."
"Yeah, me too. Is that a bad thing?"
"Juliet…" he started, trying to understand why he was feeling angry all of a sudden. "I'm tired of this sneakin' around shit." He waited for her to get upset, but as he watched her face, he saw her nod instead.
"Me too," she agreed.
James was confused. "What?" he asked incredulously.
"I'm tired of it, too," she shrugged as she continued to chop vegetables for the salad.
James' jaw dropped. "Aaand were ya plannin' on tellin' me this anytime soon?" he huffed.
"Tonight, actually," she grinned at him, waving a hand around to indicate the special James-friendly touches she'd added to the evening.
"Okay… what made ya change your mind? You were pretty damn adamant before…"
Juliet paused her chopping to look at him. "I like having you here. I like waking up with you."
James grinned. "This mornin's lil escapade have anything to do with that, sweetheart?"
Juliet rolled her eyes, feeling her cheeks burn. "No."
"I bet it did."
"No, but - it would be nice to be able to just hangout whenever we want, right? Without waiting for the stars to align and schedules to work out?" She sounded bitter, almost sarcastic, as she tried to get him to see how annoying this had become. She'd had good intentions initially, and she wouldn't change anything leading up to this point, but it had grown to be too much. In fact, they had grown to be more than she'd ever bargained for.
"Yeah, hence why I brought it up in the first place. So what about all your 'reasons' you were so insistent on, Blondie?"
"I guess it's a trade off. I get something I want, and will have to deal with whatever consequences that come after."
James understood her reasoning. He wanted this too, and was glad she was finally seeing reason. "So what's the plan then?"
"I will give him until Friday. If he doesn't figure it out on his own, then we can tell him."
"Care to make it interesting…?" James suggested, his southern drawl deep and more pronounced than usual.
Juliet laughed. "How so?"
"We bet on it. I think little ole Miles will figure it out by Friday. He's been givin' me a hard time ever since I told him I was hookin' up with someone."
Juliet thought for a moment as she dropped the vegetables into the bowl of lettuce. "Hmm… I don't think he will. He hasn't caught on yet, so I think he'll continue to be oblivious."
"Well then there ya go. We're on opposite sides already. So, ya wanna bet?"
"What are the stakes?" Juliet smirked and crossed her arms over her chest, intrigued.
James thought about it. He already had everything he wanted. Well, almost everything. "If I win, ya let me call you my girlfriend and flaunt ya around Dharmaville." He waggled his eyebrows at her.
"Absolutely not." Juliet shook her head for emphasis. Just because they were having sex didn't make her his girlfriend. Just because they loved each other didn't make them official. Did it? Just because two people loved each other didn't mean they were meant to be together like that. All Juliet could think about was Kate and the gang swooping in any day now and ruining this. If she made things official between them, it was only a matter of time before she got hurt. She always got hurt. It was bad enough that she'd let herself fall for him in the first place, she couldn't really help that, but if she kept her wits about her and kept it casual, it would be easier when they stopped doing whatever this was. Right? It was inevitable in her mind, that nothing this wonderful could last forever.
"And why the hell not?" he challenged, swinging his legs around to sit in the chair properly. She brought the salad and the dressing to the table. He caught her wrist as she finished setting it down. She looked him in the eye, frowning as she tried to figure out what to say. His eyes looked sad, and his jaw was set. They were still for a moment before he tugged on her wrist, pulling her to sit on his lap. "Talk to me," he implored her.
She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and rested her cheek on his head. She felt morose all of a sudden, like she was shattering his rose-colored glasses with her imperfect, glass-half-empty view of the world and of relationships. She knew she was damaged, it wasn't a secret, but it hurt nonetheless to say the words aloud.
"I don't think I can be what you want me to be," she whispered.
"The hell does that even mean?" he accused.
"I…" she started, not knowing how to explain the inexplicable.
"This better not be about Kate, Blondie."
She sighed. "It's not, not really."
"Elaborate," he gritted out. He was hurt, and Juliet knew by now that his pain masqueraded as anger more often than not. She didn't want to hurt him. But this was her point, exactly. If they weren't a couple, they couldn't fuck this up. If they were two friends who one day just stop sleeping together, it doesn't mean anything.
"Why do we have to label this at all? Why can't we be two friends who love and support one another and just so happen to have sex?"
"You answer my question first. Why can't we be together?" he demanded.
"Because then it'll end," she whispered, the words leaving her mouth on an exhale. She hadn't meant them to come out, and she hadn't meant to sound so dramatic. "James, every relationship I've ever been in has failed miserably. This is too special. I don't want to mess this up."
"What, and ya think I'm the relationship guru here or somethin'? Christ, I ain't ever been in a successful one either. But just because we're still single, it don't mean we should stop datin'."
"You don't feel cursed?" she wondered.
"No. I just ain't ever met the right one til now, apparently." He threw his hand up in the air, as if in surrender. He couldn't believe how stubborn she was being.
Juliet raised her head and looked into his face. How did he still manage to keep surprising her? "What do you mean? Just because two people love each other doesn't mean they are meant to be together."
"No, I s'pose not. I loved Kate and I wasn't meant to be with her. I was clearly meant to be with you, Brainiac," he teased with the confidence and swagger she'd always come to associate with him. But it was like he was speaking another language; she couldn't process the words he was saying. Since when did James ever believe in things like soulmates? Was that what he was hinting at? "I think we got somethin' special. This feels different. I wanna be official, show ya off to the world. Make everybody jealous." He winked. "Weren't you married? That why you're so afraid of labels or somethin'? Cuz darlin', a label don't mean nothin' unless you make it mean somethin'."
"Yes, James, I am afraid of the label. And if it doesn't mean anything then why do you want it so badly?"
James considered. "Because I spent my whole life lookin' for this without even knowin' what I was lookin' for. Yeah I screwed around and I conned people but I've always wanted this, deep down. Someone who gets me like you do. If we don't call it what it is, then is it even real?" He felt like a fucking girl and couldn't believe he was even saying this out loud. With anyone else, he wouldn't be caught dead uttering these words. But she didn't judge him. She just watched him, waiting for him to continue. "Besides, I wanted to play fuckin' 'house' with Kate once and she turned me down. I was never it for her, and I knew that. But I never woulda thought you'd turn me down, too." Juliet saw the hurt in his eyes and knew he wasn't trying to guilt-trip her. But she still felt incredibly guilty.
"That's not fair," she whispered. "I want to 'play house' with you James. All this?" She gestured to the lasagna that was getting cold, and the record player in the living room that now only played static. "I wanted to ask you to move in with me. I want to be with you. But I want it so much that I never want to risk the chance that someday, we'll break up. We can't break up if we're never truly together." Her reasoning sounded stupid when she heard it said aloud, but it didn't change the gut-wrenching fear in her heart that she could somehow jinx this by wanting it too badly. Perhaps by not acknowledging it as 'something,' the universe wouldn't see fit to snatch it away from her like it did everything else she loved.
"I disagree. I think ya can. Ya think Kate and I were ever a fuckin' couple? No way. But I still felt like we 'broke up' when I jumped outta that damn helicopter. If this ends eventually, then we tackle it then. Callin' it what it clearly is won't change whether that happens or not. But for the record…I hope it don't." He rubbed her lower back, fingers brushing idly over her brand.
"You hope it doesn't what?" she dared ask.
"End," he stated simply. She looked at him - really looked at him. She saw he was serious and broody. He was determined and raw. And she saw he was laying himself bare in front of her and she was just pushing him away. Over what? Insecurities that barely made sense to her? She realized then that no matter what happened - whether they were a couple or not, losing him would rip her soul apart. They could be friends, roommates, lovers, dating, married - it wouldn't matter. He'd grown into someone she couldn't live without, label or not. She was indubitably, irreparably, fucked. "So we got a deal or not, Sunshine?"
She sighed. She could say no. But she wouldn't. "Fine. We have a deal. If he finds out on his own by the end of the day Friday, we can be an official couple. You'll move in with me here and we can be the talk of the damn commune. But if I win?" She leaned in to whisper in his ear. "If I win, and Miles doesn't find out on his own, we tell him the way I want to tell him."
"And how exactly do ya plan on doin' that?"
"It's a secret, of course," she whispered before grinning smugly.
"Jesus woman, you and your damn secrets. That 'Others' trainin' really warped your brain. Gave ya a complex or somethin'," James grumbled. Juliet stood up off of James' lap. She stuck out her hand and he hesitated before shaking it.
Before they could break apart, Juliet added, "And no cheating." James nodded his assent.
Dinner was in fact cold, but neither complained. James restarted the record and they carried on conversation as if their whole discussion hadn't even happened. They had copious amounts of wine and laughed quite a bit. It was a lovely evening, and by the time they were finished and leftovers were stowed away, both were surprised to see it was already past eight. Jin was due to get off work at 9 and James planned on being there when he arrived back home.
Graciously, James helped Juliet with the dishes and when they were done, they had only fifteen minutes left. He was still drying the last dish when Juliet closed the curtains and locked the front door of her house. He grinned, knowing it was a sign that she didn't want them to be caught doing whatever it was they were going to be doing. He was even more surprised when she took his hand and led him into the living room. He sat down on the couch and tried pulling her down with him. She resisted, trying to keep a smirk from blooming on her delicate face.
"Whats'a matter?" he asked, confused as she simply stood above him. He was even more perplexed when she bent down to rest on her knees in between his legs. She smiled at him, cheeks flushing pink either from embarrassment or alcohol, he didn't know which.
"Nothing at all, James. I just want to pay you back for this morning," she stated, voice matter of fact and confident. He felt the blood drain from his face as he realized what she was about to do. He may know her body like the back of his hand, but she knew his, too. She unbuckled his pants and pulled them down to his ankles. She teased him for a moment with her hand in slow, firm strokes, before taking him fully into her mouth. He gasped at the sensation, and groans erupted out of him, animalistic and uncensored. He watched as her head bobbed, intent on her task. He couldn't believe his luck, finding this angel of a woman. He loved her so goddamn much, just thinking about her made this all the more enjoyable.
After a few minutes, he was writhing on the couch. He had to grip the cushions to keep from pulling her hair. He warned her he was going to come, but she kept going. He thought she was going to pull away, but she continued even as he spilled into her mouth. When he was done, he stared at her, wide eyed and panting, as she calmly reached over to the coffee table and downed the rest of her wine. She wiped the corners of her mouth with her thumb, completely unconcerned. He'd never experienced that with a woman before. They'd always pull away or spit. She just chased it down with wine without even a blink of her eye. If he wasn't already in love with her before this, he certainly would have been now.
"Jesus Fucking Christ, Blondie," he panted. "What was that for?"
She smiled and rose from her place before him. "Payback. For this morning. Didn't I say that?" She cocked her head to the side as she sat in the chair opposite him.
"You did, I guess… I meant… well… the other part," he muttered as he struggled to pull up his jeans. He pointed to her mouth, as if it needed more explanation. His brain still felt foggy.
"Oh, that. Yeah, I think the alcohol helped. But hey - no evidence, right? Can't go home with it all over your jeans now, can you?" She smirked and he just stared at her, still completely bewildered. "Now we're even," she said with a shrug.
He shook his head, in awe. "Come 'ere," he requested, and she rose to sit next to him. He kissed her and pulled her into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly to his chest. The clock on the wall read 8:55. "I gotta go, baby," he groaned. She hugged him tighter. "No matter who wins, it'll be over soon. I'm movin' in here this weekend, okay?" She nodded against his shoulder.
"I love you," she stated firmly.
James smiled and felt his eyes burn. "I love you, too."
—-
Over the next few days, the game was on. Neither James nor Juliet outwardly influenced the bet, as neither wanted to piss off the other, but they found ways to skirt the line of what would be deemed acceptable behavior. Juliet was a bitch when around Miles and Jin Tuesday evening for dinner, and made an off-hand comment about not getting laid in almost a year (because truthfully, it had been at least eight months between Goodwin and James). Jin raised his glass to her, clearly in solidarity.
James, on the other hand, let his eyes roam over her body anytime he wished, in mixed company or not. He used to be careful about showing her too much attention when around other people, but now he let his eyes wander. Much to Juliet's delight, Miles smacked the back of James' head with an oven mitt when he caught him staring at her ass the same night, claiming, "Your super secret girlfriend wouldn't like that too much, asshole. Show a little respect." James also didn't bother looking around, making sure he wasn't being watched, when going to Juliet's house. He was aggravated to find that she'd started locking her door, to keep him from waltzing in.
Juliet claimed she wasn't feeling well on Wednesday night, leaving James to hang with the boys alone, knowing she was feeling perfectly fine. Keeping her distance meant less interaction with Miles. On Thursday afternoon though, when Miles and Jin had the dinner shift yet again, Juliet couldn't help herself. She missed James and invited him over. Besides their 'generous surprises' to one another on Monday, they hadn't been together since the previous week.
Just as they were starting to undress one another, the phone rang. Juliet ignored it. James took off her pants and underwear. It rang again, and she ignored it again, kissing James instead and running her hands through his hair. After a minute, it rang for a third time and she was starting to grow worried. Did something happen with Miles or Jin? Was the compound under attack? She didn't hear the sirens, but that didn't mean there wasn't an emergency. She glanced at James in an unspoken apology before answering the phone.
"Hello?" she asked, trying not to sound as breathless as she felt.
"Juliet! God, finally. Where were you?" It was Miles.
"I'm sorry, Miles. I was in the bathroom. What's going on?" she asked worriedly. James, hearing Miles' name, grinned wickedly. This was his chance. He lowered himself between Juliet's legs and kissed her inner thigh. She closed her eyes and swatted his head. He didn't budge.
"I'm looking for Jim. Horace needs him but he's not answering at the house. Do you know where he is?" Miles made it sound urgent, but Juliet's mind was elsewhere. Her eyes strayed to the sight before her. James' tongue was caressing her, and her lungs felt like they were going to burst. She'd been holding her breath to keep from moaning.
She cleared her throat. "No, sorry. Maybe he's at the cafeteria?" Her voice was high pitched and breathy, and she inhaled sharply as James' tongue entered her. She fell back against the pillow, one hand covering her eyes and one hand holding the phone to her ear. This was not fair. She wanted to push him away, but even more so she wanted him to keep going.
"Why do you sound all weird?" Miles asked, perplexed.
"Stomachache," she replied automatically, biting her lip to keep from groaning. James knew her too fucking well and it felt too fucking good. What a fucking cheater, she thought angrily.
"Gross. Okay. Well, if you see Jim, tell him to come by the security station."
"Mmmhmmm…. Got it…." Juliet muttered. James leaned back, pleased with how breathless she'd become. Devilishly, he inserted two fingers into her and flexed, and she arched her back instinctively. "Miles, I gotta go," she moaned before hanging up the phone and finally crying out.
When they were done, she smacked him on his side with the back of her sweaty hand. "Ow! The hell was that for, woman!?" James called out.
"For that shit you pulled when Miles called!"
"That was like, a half hour ago!"
"Yeah, well, still. You're a total cheater," she chastised. "You better go find out what they need. I don't want you to be in trouble."
"I ain't gonna be in trouble. I'm off duty," James grumbled before rolling off the bed and pulling on his boxers and pants. He ran her hairbrush through his hair before throwing his shirt back on and evaluating his appearance in the mirror. He looked normal, all evidence of their lovemaking gone. He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the top of her head. "I'll see ya tonight for dinner?"
She shook her head. "I'm going to Amy's."
"Okay, tomorrow then? Game night?"
"Yeah. Risk?" She swung her legs over the side of the bed and let the sheet fall from its position around her torso. James really didn't want to leave. This better be fucking good, he thought, wondering what Horace could possibly want.
"Yeah."
"Sounds good. I'll see you then. Call me tonight and let me know how it goes with Horace, though? I'll be home after 9."
"Okay," James agreed. Juliet stood from the bed, stretched, and gave James a hug. He pulled her tightly against him and inhaled deeply, nose pressed against her neck. "I don't wanna leave," he admitted softly.
"I don't want you to, either. But remember - two more days and it'll be over one way or another." She pulled away and slipped past him, headed to the bathroom. He watched her go, feeling surprisingly comforted by her words. This was really happening, and James couldn't be more excited about it.
He felt overcome with so many different emotions when he thought about moving things forward with Juliet, excitement being at the top of his list. But he also felt mild twinges of fear and anxiety surrounding the change, as he had never been someone to want this with a woman before. He always tried to make himself come across as aloof and unconcerned with all things romantic, even though he secretly craved the companionship a partner would bring. He also felt pride in how far he'd come and how much he'd grown over the years, away from the conniving liar that had been 'Sawyer.' Reinventing himself as Jim LaFleur had proven to be a challenge, but a welcome one nonetheless, it seemed. Finally, he felt peace, knowing that despite the fact that he and Juliet used to be enemies, there was never going to be a more perfect woman for him. For some inexplicable reason, she wanted to be with him just as much as he wanted to be with her. And though he didn't understand what she saw in him, he thanked his lucky stars she saw him for who he truly was and loved him for it anyway.
As it turned out, Richard had requested a parlay with Horace, and Horace had not wanted to meet with Richard without James. The issue got sorted fairly easily, but at least Miles' call had been somewhat legitimate. James told Juliet as much on the phone later that evening. They talked for almost an hour before going to bed, much to their dismay. As she drifted off to sleep, Juliet couldn't help but think how wrong she'd been for wanting to keep James a secret. She wanted to show him off just as much as he claimed to want to do the same to her. After all, it seemed over the last few months, he'd grown into the most important person in her life, and she hadn't even seen it coming. She drifted off with the ghost of a smile still on her lips, pretending he was lying next to her.
—-
Friday night had finally come and both Juliet and James were on edge, wondering what Miles was going to do. So far, he hadn't said a single out of place word to either of them, and it seemed as though he didn't know anything about their secret affair. They grilled chicken and vegetables for dinner, and talked and laughed like they usually did when they hung out. James manned the grill, Juliet prepped everything, Jin made their cocktails, and Miles did the dishes. Everything felt normal and Juliet felt confident she was going to win the bet. Surely, if Miles knew anything, he would have said it by now.
Juliet had two drinks and was feeling woozy by the time they started playing Risk. James, who'd had two drinks as well, looked positively peachy as he set up the game board. She watched him place the pieces out in front of him, and set up camp in South America. Jin brought her another cocktail, and she accepted it gratefully. By the time they had all their pieces in their starting locations, realization dawned on her that neither Miles nor Jin was drinking. She felt panic as James tipped back the last remnants of his beer, letting out a satisfied 'ahhh' before reaching for another one in the cooler beside him.
Why weren't they drinking, too? Did Miles suspect something?
"So, Juliet. What do you think about Seth?" Miles asked her nonchalantly.
"Seth? The new guy from security?" She tried to picture his face. He was a little younger than her, maybe in his early 30s, with blonde hair and an athletic build. He was pretty attractive, though younger than she normally went for.
"Yeah, him," Miles confirmed. "I was talking to him earlier this week. He thinks you're really hot. Wanted me to see if you'd wanna go out with him." Juliet's cheeks flamed and she resisted the urge to look at James, though she saw him sit up straighter out of the corner of her eye.
She cleared her throat. "Why won't he ask me himself?" she responded, taking a deep swig of her drink without meaning to. She was trying to act natural.
"He knows we're friends, and he said he's never even talked to you before. Thought it would be weird for you. Plus I don't think he knows where you live."
Juliet bit her lip. "Well, I think I'll pass, but tell him thank you for the offer."
Miles put down his cards on the table and looked at her, seemingly confused. "Weren't you just griping about not getting laid? He's young, probably virile, I dunno. Just fuck him and be done with it," he suggested with a shrug. James gripped the bottom of his seat, hard.
"In case you didn't know this about women, Miles, it's not always that easy."
"Why not? You were complaining about something, I give you a suggestion to help, and now you don't wanna do it?"
James and Jin were watching the exchange, not saying a word. She swallowed. "If I'm going to 'fuck someone,' as you so beautifully put it, I'd rather actually know them and care about them first. I know you wouldn't know anything about that, but Jin and I actually have morals." The words left her mouth before she even knew what she'd said.
"What, and I don't?" James exclaimed, offended.
"Do not pull me into this, Juliet," Jin said with a coy smile. "Just because I am married."
She rubbed her temples. James finished off his beer. Why couldn't she string a single thought together about how to recover from this?
"That's not what I meant. James, I'm sure you don't do that anymore. I'm sure you've changed. Jin, I know you're married, that's what I meant by what I said. You stay loyal to Sun even though she isn't here. Miles, I just don't wanna do something like that with a stranger, okay? Just drop it. I don't need you to fix me up."
"And why not? You'd rather do it with someone you know, then?"
Silence. She swallowed and licked her lips. She needed to tread carefully here. "I'd rather get to know someone, then date them, before sleeping with them."
"So date him. He's not asking to bone you. He asked for a date."
"I can't, Miles." She was growing exasperated. "And Jin, what the hell did you put in these drinks?" She finished off the last sip before pushing it away.
Jin shrugged. "I make long island tea. Miles gave me the recipe. You want another?"
Juliet shot Miles a glare. "No. Are you trying to get me wasted, Miles?" she asked him, suspicious.
"No. I just figured it would be the drink of the evening. Jim here loves 'em." He pointed to James.
"They're pretty good," he admitted. "But after two I was feelin' it a little too hard. Switched to beer." He burped for emphasis. Juliet cringed, and Jin rose to bring her glass to the sink.
"Can we just get back to the game?" she demanded. She was holed up in Australia. She was just going to stay there, build her defense, and let the other 3 battle it out before swooping in and winning the game. Australia was the long con and she was going to beat these suckers once and for all.
"Sure, fine, whatever. Just trying to be a good friend and get you some dick but oookay," Miles commented, voice dripping with sarcasm. James choked on his beer. "What, you don't want your friend here to finally get some? You've been awfully quiet, Jim."
James coughed before responding. "Nah, I'm with ya Miles. I want her to get some for sure. Maybe she won't be so fuckin' cranky if she did." He laughed through his coughing, eyeing her for effect. She was livid, but he didn't care. He saw what Miles was trying to do, and he wanted her to crack. Because if she did, he would win the bet.
Juliet was fuming. "Since when did my love life become the topic of conversation at game night?" she argued.
"I dunno. You're the wild card here, Jules. Jin's off the market, I'm back together with Laura, and Jim here has his super secret invisible girlfriend. It's your turn," Miles elbowed her playfully.
Juliet looked at James, who was grinning at her, nodding along with what Miles was saying. Okay, if he was going to act like that, so was she.
"Fine," she agreed. "I'll go out with him. He's very cute - what harm could it do?" She gave Miles a warm smile.
Miles flinched, clearly surprised. "You will?"
"Yeah. I'm free tomorrow night. You should see if he's free, too." She crossed her arms over her chest, accentuating her cleavage. She knew James was watching her.
Miles didn't know what to say. "Okay, then. I'll let him know."
"Now can we drop it?" she suggested sweetly.
"Now hang on just one minute. I think ya got plans tomorrow," James reminded her forcefully.
She pretended to think about it. "No… I don't think I do," she affirmed.
"Yeah, ya do," James grunted more forcefully.
"No, I don't. If I wanna go on a date with Seth, then so be it," she leaned forward on the table and gave him a glare.
"You don't know nothin' about this guy!"
"No kidding! It's what happens when you go on a date, you get to know them!" Their volume was rising with each new argument.
"He could be a psycho!"
"Or, he could be completely normal. Won't know til I go on the date, now will I?"
"Juliet, he's a perv. He just wants to get into your pants!"
"Well, who knows? Maybe he will!"
"Enough!" Miles shouted, raising his hands in surrender. "I swear to God. I can't take this shit anymore. This was supposed to be FUNNY and you guys are ruining it! Christ, I KNOW about you two. Jesus. Everyone knows!"
Jin covered his mouth with his hand, stifling a laugh. James and Juliet blanched, mouths falling open. "What do you think you know?" James asked warily.
"For the love of God, I know you two have been going to pound town on each other for like, weeks now. Probably months, actually." Miles rolled his eyes. He just wanted them to admit it out loud. He didn't want to be the one to say it; it wasn't fun that way.
James pointed a finger at Juliet. "HA!" he shouted. She clenched her jaw and simmered. She hated to lose. "I win!"
Miles glared at him, confused. "You won? You won what?"
Juliet huffed and rolled her eyes. "James and I made a bet."
"About what?" Miles wondered.
"You, Genghis!" James crowed. "We been together for months now and we had a bet to see if you'd figure it out on your own or we were gonna have ta tell ya. Tonight was the cut off. But seein' as though you figured it out before midnight, looks like IIII'm the winner." James crossed his arms over his chest and gave everyone a shit-eating grin.
"You bet on me? But we bet on you!" Miles called out indignantly.
"What!? What was your bet?" Juliet blurted.
"I think you two would never tell. Miles think you will eventually tell us," Jin admitted. "I guess I win that one."
"Wait a minute… hold up… I gotta know. Jim, you told me you loved this super-secret girlfriend. You were just yankin' my chain, right?"
James kicked back in his chair, putting his arms behind his head. "No siree. I love 'er," James stated, nodding his head across the table at Juliet. He was grinning wildly and Juliet couldn't help but smirk back. He was really relishing in all this 'winning' nonsense. "She's my girlfriend and I love her."
Girlfriend. Right. "Yeah, and I love him too," Juliet murmured, still sulking. She had planned on making James run around the compound naked, screaming his love for her. Guess that wasn't gonna happen anymore. But his grin was infectious and the more he smiled at her, the more she smiled right back.
"Holy crap, this is huge!" Miles blurted, astonished at what he was hearing. "Wait, I gotta know everything. How did this even start? Juliet, weren't you like, public enemy number one at the beach camp?"
"Something like that," she replied, remembering all too well the hatred she got while staying there. "It was just gradual, Miles. It snuck up on both of us, I think."
"But you two fight like dogs and cats," Jin shook his head, amazed.
"That's cuz we was brewin' us a little love connection," James drawled. "Trust me, I was surprised as y'all are now. I never thought I'd see the day where I wanted to shack up with an Other."
"And I never thought I'd see the day where I wanted to shack up with an outlaw, yet here we are," Juliet quipped.
"Why didn't you just tell us? Why the secrecy?" Miles complained. Juliet thought she heard actual hurt behind his tone.
"It's hard to explain…" Juliet confessed. "But… I guess I just didn't want the attention. You know, like I'm getting right now. And I didn't want this thing we have to make you feel bad, Jin." Her voice was soft as she tried to convey all her insecurities without actually spelling it out for them.
Jin shook his head. "Why?"
"Because you're being forced to live without Sun. Because it's lonely and isolating being without the person you love. I didn't want to just… dangle what you don't have right in front of you. And you - " she said, turning her attention to Miles. "You tease everyone for every little thing. I figured you'd give us shit constantly and I didn't want that; not while we were still figuring things out. So, it was easier not to say anything," she concluded.
"I don't give everyone shit…" Miles mumbled. "But fine, I guess I get it." Jin was quiet. He got it, too. "How long you been boning it up?"
"For God's sake Miles!" James barked.
"What!? I wanna know how long you've been lying to my face, friend."
Juliet bit her lip. "Since right before I moved out."
"Are you shitting me! I knew you weren't exercising, LaFleur."
"Ohhh, I was exercisin' alright…" James chuckled. Juliet rolled her eyes for what felt like the tenth time in the last hour.
"Regardless… What about you, Miles? How did you figure it out?" Juliet inquired. She was curious as to where they had gone wrong.
"It was a lot of little things. For one, you guys barely made eye contact for the longest time. I thought you got in a fight or something. But then, you brought Jim dinner at work that day. I thought that was weird. Like, you're a good friend and all, Jules, but to make and bring someone dinner just because they asked? I thought maybe you were apologizing or something for whatever it was you did wrong that created all the evasiveness. THEN, I saw Jim go to your house one day on the monitors and he didn't come out for a long time. I didn't think his secret girlfriend would like that very much, so I asked around. The only person they ever saw him with was you. THEN, the icing on the cake, you dirty, dirty dog," Miles pointed a finger at James and laughed. "That day I called you." Juliet's face flamed. He didn't need to continue. But he did. "You were goin' to town and answered the phone anyway? That's gross, Juliet."
"What!?" Jin cried, and started laughing. Clearly Miles hadn't told him that part.
Juliet thought she was going to implode from humiliation. She sank down into her seat, avoiding eye contact with James who was grinning and staring at her. "I did not!" she cried out.
"Did so! God, it was like you'd just run a fuckin' marathon the way you were breathing. Jim, you couldn't stop for like, two seconds to let her have a conversation?"
"You called THREE TIMES. I thought it was an emergency! I thought someone was DYING!" Juliet shouted.
"Yeah, Miles! And besides, you forget - I wanted you to find out." James waggled his eyebrows, clearly pleased with himself that his scheme had paid off.
"That's still gross, man." Miles wrinkled up his nose. "I knew he was there, Juliet. I saw him go to your house on the monitors. All you had to do was put him on the phone. You forget that you're still friends, and friends can hangout whenever without it being something. Had you just done that, I probably wouldn't have thought anything of it."
Juliet smacked her forehead with her palm and closed her eyes. "Dammit," she whispered under her breath. He had a point.
"Alright man, enough's enough. Leave 'er alone," James chuckled. "She can't turn any redder. That shit might be permanent, an' look like a sunburn."
Juliet had had enough. She stood up, glaring at James. "You wanna play, James? Cuz I've got quite a lot to play with. We can be sunburned together," she practically hissed.
James straightened, his eyes going wide. "Nope. I'm good." He smacked Miles for good measure.
"OW! Why'd you hit me?" Miles cried out.
"Shut up and leave the lady alone!" James demanded. "This is why she didn't wanna tell ya in the first place! All you're doin' is provin' her right!" Juliet smirked and sat back down.
"Fine! I yield. Sheesh."
"That's better. Now can we please get back to this stupid game?" Juliet begged.
After the game was over three hours later, and Juliet had conquered the others in total world domination, James walked Juliet home. She hadn't said two words to him all evening, since the grand reveal. "You mad at me, Blondie?" he asked. She didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything. "Aw, come on. What'd I do?"
"You didn't have my back," she stated calmly. He winced.
"I'm sorry, but it was really funny. I ain't ever seen you so flustered before."
"So? You think that's a good thing to be?" she snapped.
"No, but it was too adorable. I couldn't help it."
"Whatever," she muttered back.
"Come onnnn. What can I do to make it up to ya?" he whined.
She stopped walking. And she smiled. If they were going to be official, might as well tell the whole commune about it.
"Give me your clothes."
—-
A/N: I had…. an absolute blast writing this. Seriously. So760, I hope you enjoyed! :)
Reviews are much appreciated!